What is your favorite Filipino snack called "merienda"?

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Proud Bisaya Ko

Food is a huge part of Filipino culture. There are so many delicious dishes to choose from, each with its unique history and flavor. One of my favorite snacks is the banana cue. Bananas are a staple fruit in the Philippines, and they can be cooked in so many different ways.

 Banana cue

[1]

 is made by skewing banana slices onto bamboo sticks and then coating them in sugar and caramelized banana mixture. It's a delicious treat that's perfect for any occasion. Whenever I eat banana cues, I can't help but feel happy and nostalgic. It's a reminder of all the unforgettable memories I've experienced with family and friends. So if you're ever feeling homesick or want to try something new, I highly recommend giving banana cue a try. You won't be disappointed. 

Footnotes

[1] 

Must-Try Merienda: A Local Guide to Popular Filipino Snacks

Why are Filipinos unaware of the noise they make?

 

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One reason Filipinos may be unaware of the noise they make is because of the high value placed on being hospitable and accommodating. Filipino culture

[1]

 considers it rude to do anything that might disturb or inconvenience others. As a result, Filipinos may be more likely to make noise in public without realizing it since they are not used to being asked to keep their voices down. Additionally, the Philippines is a very loud country overall. Car horns blare, music plays from all directions, and people shouting can be heard at all hours of the day. In such an environment, it can be difficult for Filipinos

[2]

 to gauge what level of noise is appropriate in any given situation. With so much noise in daily life, Filipinos may be accustomed to making and hearing a lot of noise regularly.

Footnotes

[1] 

Filipino Society and Culture Archives

[2] 

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We can all be saints!

By Fr. Roy Cimagala *

LET’S be clear about this. We can all be saints. In fact, we should try our best to be saints, since insofar as God is concerned, everything has been given so that what he wants us to be can really turn into reality. Things just depend on us, on how we correspond to the will of God for us.

Remember St. Peter citing a passage from the Scripture: “You must be holy because I am holy.” (1 Pt 1,16) And St. Paul reiterates the same idea: “This is the will of God—you sanctification.” (1 Thes 4,3) And Christ himself said: “Be perfect even as your Father in heaven is perfect.” (Mt 5,48)

With everything that God through Christ in the Holy Spirit has done for this purpose, we can say that our ultimate failure would be if at the end of our earthly life we fail to be saints.

Not only is God offering us grace, the Church, the sacraments, the doctrine, etc., etc., he in Christ is also eager to identify himself with our worst condition in our life, showing us how to handle it so we can manage to share his own life, that is, to be holy and be saints. Thus, in the gospel of the Solemnity of All Saints, we are reminded of the beatitudes that reassure us that we can be blessed in our bad conditions of being poor, persecuted, etc., if we follow him. (cfr. Mt 5,1-12)

We should feel at home with this most wonderful will of God, overcoming whatever disbelief and awkwardness we may have about it, and trying our best to follow all that Christ has taught, shown, commanded and empowered us.

Sanctity should be a constant concern we ought to have. We should not be derailed from this pursuit by aiming only at some practical purposes and other earthly and human goals which, no matter how legitimate, can only be at best a means, an occasion, an instrument to develop sanctity and to do apostolate which always go along with the pursuit for holiness.

Our work, for example, for which we spend most of our time during our active life, can and should be a wonderful occasion to seek sanctity and do apostolate. It’s there where we can truly encounter God and others and develop our intimate relationship with them. 

We should never regard our work as purely worldly as to have no relation with God and others. If we let ourselves be guided by our Christian faith, we know that our work, no matter how mundane and small as long as it is honest, is always our cooperation in the abiding providence of God over all his creation. It is supposed to lead us to God and to strengthen our relation with everybody else. There is something sacred in it.

When we end the day with an examination of conscience which is highly recommended if we are truly serious with our God-given life, we should have the sensation that there is some growth, no matter how small, in our sanctity. We should not judge the value of our day by purely earthly standards like efficiency, profitability, practicality, etc.

There should be the sensation that we are getting closer to God and everybody else, because we manage to give our heart to them, willing to fight and overcome any obstacle that we can encounter in our pursuit for our love for God and others, which is the essence of sanctity.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.co

'Davao is ready for full in-person classes'

Educational materials are ready for face-to-face classes in Davao public schools in this undated photo from the city government. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO

By Ruth Palo November 1, 2022 

DAVAO CITY: Over 1.3 million elementary and high school students in public and private schools in Davao Region are ready to resume full face-to-face (F2F) classes starting Wednesday, November 2.

Department of Education Region 11 (DepEd 11) spokesman Jenielito Atillo said that it's all systems go for the full implementation of in-person classes in public and private schools.

Atillo however said private schools were given the prerogative to have in-person classes or to continue with the alternative learning modalities.

Data from DepEd 11 showed that 1,206,291 public school students in the region will be going back to school, while private schools will welcome 136,236 learners.

"Let us not worry about the implementation of the very strict protocols because that is one major requirement actually. This is the number one requirement that we require from public schools and even private schools, the strict implementation of the health and safety protocols," Atillo said.

He added there were private schools that decided to employ face-to-face learning because parents requested it."Many parents really want face-to-face education to be implemented, that is why they seek for schools implementing the face-to-face learning modality," he said.

Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay, meanwhile, said the city is in close coordination with the DepEd, Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Task Force (TF) Davao, and Civil Security Unit, including the City Transport and Traffic Management Office to secure the opening of physical classes.

The city is also ready to implement the "Oplan Balik Eskwela," Sumagaysay said.

He added security personnel will be deployed not only in the poblacion but even in other far-flung areas like Marilog and Paquibato districts.

PAGASA: Several areas in Mindanao to experience moderate to heavy rains due to ‘Queenie’

Published November 1, 2022, 9:08 AM

by Analou de Vera

Tropical Storm Queenie (DOST-PAGASA)

Tropical Storm Queenie will bring moderate to heavy rains in some parts of Mindanao on Tuesday, Nov. 1, said the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

Queenie was last spotted 490 kilometers east of Davao City, packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center with gustiness of up to 80 km/h, the PAGASA said in its latest weather update. 

“Tonight through tomorrow: Moderate to heavy rains possible over Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur, and Dinagat Islands,” the weather bureau reported.

“Light to moderate with at times heavy rains possible over Eastern Visayas, Davao Oriental, and the rest of Caraga Region,” it added.

PAGASA said that flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible, “especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible to these hazard as identified in hazard maps and in localities with significant antecedent rainfall.”

“The hoisting of Tropical Cyclone Wind Signals is not ruled out over the eastern portion of Caraga and in some areas in Eastern Visayas today (Tuesday). Per latest track and intensity forecast, the highest wind signal that will likely be hoisted is Wind Signal No. 1,” it said. 

Queenie is “forecast to track generally west northwestward to northwestward” on Tuesday “before turning north northwestward” on Wednesday, Nov. 2, “while over the sea east of Caraga-Davao Region area,” PAGASA said.

The weather bureau said that Queenie “may weaken into a tropical depression” on Tuesday, Nov. 1, “due to increasingly unfavorable conditions. Further weakening into a low pressure area is likely by Thursday, possibly earlier.”

32 areas under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 from Nov. 1 to 15–DOH

Published November 1, 2022, 1:09 AM

by Analou de Vera, MB

DOH

Thirty-two areas in the country were placed under Covid-19 Alert Level 2 from Nov. 1 to Nov. 15, the Department of Health (DOH) said.

President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. approved the latest Covid-19 Alert Level System (ALS) classifications for provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities, the DOH said in a statement on Monday, Oct. 31. 

“Thirty-two provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities are under Alert Level 2,” the DOH said.

On the other hand, 89 out of 121 provinces, highly urbanized cities, and independent component cities were placed under Alert Level 1, the DOH said.

The DOH has observed a decline in the country’s case trend and hospital admissions.

“This means that our key indicators, such as the healthcare utilization rate (HCUR), are showing improvements. We attribute this development to every Filipino who continues to cooperate with our Covid-19 response,” said DOH Officer-in-Charge Maria Rosario Vergeire. 

“But while we see a continuous decline in case and admission trends, we must remember that deescalation does not mean that the battle with Covid-19 is already over. These current numbers are not permanent; we must all work together to maintain these low numbers,” she added.

Here’s the list of areas under Alert Level 2:

Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR):
Benguet
Ifugao

Calabarzon
Quezon Province

Mimaropa
Palawan

Bicol Region
Camarines Norte
Masbate  

Western Visayas
Antique
Negros Occidental

Central Visayas
Bohol
Cebu Province
Negros Oriental

Eastern Visayas
Leyte
Northern Samar
Western Samar

Zamboanga Peninsula
City of Isabela
Zamboanga Del Sur
Zamboanga Sibugay

Northern Mindanao
Lanao del Norte

Davao Region
Davao De Oro
Davao Del Norte
Davao Del Sur
Davao Occidental

Soccsksargen
North Cotabato
Sarangani
Sultan Kudarat

Caraga
Dinagat Islands
Surigao del Norte

Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM):
Basilan
Lanao Del Sur
Maguindanao
Sulu
Tawi-tawi

The following areas were under Alert Level 1:

National Capital Region

CAR
Abra
Apayao
Baguio City
Mountain Province
Kalinga

Ilocos Region
Dagupan City
Ilocos Norte
Ilocos Sur
La Union
Pangasinan

Cagayan Valley
Batanes
Cagayan
City of Santiago
Isabela
Nueva Vizcaya
Quirino

Central Luzon
Angeles City
Aurora
Bataan
Bulacan
Nueva Ecija
Olongapo City
Pampanga
Tarlac
Zambales

Calabarzon
Batangas
Cavite
Laguna
Lucena City
Rizal

Mimaropa
Marinduque
Occidental Mindoro
Oriental Mindoro
Puerto Princesa City
Romblon

Bicol Region
Albay
Camarines Sur
Catanduanes
Naga City
Sorsogon

Western Visayas
Aklan
Bacolod City
Capiz
Guimaras
Iloilo City
Iloilo

Central Visayas
Cebu City
Lapu-Lapu City
Mandaue City
Siquijor

Eastern Visayas
Biliran
Eastern Samar
Ormoc City
Southern Leyte
Tacloban City

Zamboanga Peninsula
Zamboanga City
Zamboanga del Norte

Northern Mindanao
Bukidnon
Cagayan de Oro City
Camiguin
Iligan City
Misamis Occidental
Misamis Oriental

Davao Region
Davao City
Davao Oriental

Soccsksargen
General Santos City
South Cotabato

Caraga
Agusan del Norte
Agusan del Sur
Butuan City
Surigao del Sur

BARMM:
Cotabato City

Tropensturm fordert fast 100 Tote – Dutzende Menschen vermisst

Rettungskräfte graben in der Stadt Datu Odin Sinsuat in Maguindanao, im Süden der Philippinen, in einer Schlammlawine auf der Suche nach Opfern

Quelle: dpa/Uncredited

Der Sturm „Nalgae“ hat auf den Philippinen für Tod und Verwüstung gesorgt. Knapp 100 Menschen starben bei Überschwemmungen und Erdrutschen infolge des Unwetters, noch gibt es zahlreiche Vermisste.

Die Zahl der Todesopfer und Vermissten durch den heftigen Tropensturm „Nalgae“ auf den Philippinen ist weiter gestiegen. Bis Montag seien 98 Tote und 63 Vermisste verzeichnet worden, teilte der Katastrophenschutz des südostasiatischen Inselstaates mit.

Fast 70 Menschen seien bei den Überschwemmungen und Erdrutschen verletzt worden. Mehr als 900.000 Betroffene mussten ihre Häuser verlassen, 200.000 von ihnen seien derzeit in Evakuierungszentren untergebracht, hieß es.

Die Unwetter hatten zunächst Ende vergangener Woche im Süden der Philippinen Verwüstungen angerichtet. In der Provinz Maguindanao wurden mehr als 100 Häuser von Erdmassen begraben. „Nalgae“ war dann in Richtung Nordwesten gezogen. Dort waren vor allem die Region Western Visayas sowie die südlich der Hauptstadt Manila liegenden Provinzen Cavite, Laguna und Batangas betroffen.

Der Sturm, der auf den Philippinen „Paeng“ heißt, werde das Land voraussichtlich am Montagnachmittag (Ortszeit) verlassen und in Richtung südliches China ziehen, teilte der Wetterdienst mit. Er war mit Windgeschwindigkeiten von 85 Stundenkilometern und Böen von bis zu 105 Stundenkilometern unterwegs.

Give without expecting any return

 

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

Chaplain

Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE)

Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

CHRIST somehow makes us understand that we have to learn to give ourselves to others without expecting any return by telling a host who invited him to invite those who would be unable to return the invitation. (cfr. Lk 14,12-14)

“When you hold a lunch or a dinner,” he said, “do not invite your friends or your brothers or sisters or your relatives or your wealthy neighbors, in case they may invite you back and you have repayment. Rather, when you hold a banquet, invite the poor, the crippled, the lame, the blind; blessed indeed will you be because of their inability to repay you. For you will be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

It’s not that we should not care for our friends and relatives, since Christ told us to love everyone. But we should give special or preferential treatment to those who are in greater need, for this would clearly show the kind of charity we are living, the charity that would merit to “be repaid at the resurrection of the righteous.”

In this regard, we have to exert special effort because given our wounded human condition, prone to fall into self-indulgence and the like, we always tend to invite and to deal only with those who can give us some worldly honor, glory and pleasure. And we can do this in the most subtle ways by appearing as if we are being very magnanimous when, in fact, we are indulging in our pride, vanity and conceit.

To be able to live by this indication, we should make sure that whatever we do should be done with utmost rectitude of intention. That means that everything should be done for the glory of God. As a Latin maxim would put it, “Deo omnis gloria!”

St. Paul expressed it this way: “Whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” (1 Cor 10,31) Such motive never undermines our true joy. On the contrary, it heightens our joy and sense of fulfilment, and affirms our true dignity. We have to be wary of the deceptive thought that giving glory to God in all that we do detracts from our true joy.

We have to give all the glory to God because being the Creator, God is the standard for everything. And more than the standard, he is, in fact, the very substance of what is good, true and beautiful, what is fair and just, what is perfection itself.

             

             Nothing is good, true and beautiful, nothing is fair and just, nothing is perfect if it is not done with God and for God. In short, we need to refer all our acts to God. We have to make this affirmation very clear in our mind and do everything to make that ideal a reality.

             

             And so, a lot depends on our intention, because our intention is the very expression of who and where in the end we want to be. Do we choose God, or do we simply choose ourselves, or the world, in general? It’s actually a choice between good and evil.

                

             We need to realize then that we have to take care of our intention, making it as explicit as possible, and honing it to get engaged with its proper and ultimate object, who is God. We should try our best to shun being simply casual or cavalier about this responsibility.

* Chaplain Center for Industrial Technology and Enterprise (CITE), Talamban, Cebu City

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com

             

Oil firms to lower prices this week

By Eireene Jairee Gomez October 31, 2022 

OIL companies will implement a minimal price rollback on Tuesday, November 1.

In separate advisories, Pilipinas Shell and PetroGazz said they will cut the prices of gasoline by P0.25 per liter and diesel by P0.60 per liter.

Shell said it will also bring down the price of kerosene by P0.25 per liter.

Other oil firms were expected to follow suit.

Last week, oil companies reduced the cost of gasoline by P0.35 per liter, kerosene by P0.45 per liter and diesel by P1.10 per liter.

Faithful to observe All Saints Day on Nov. 1

by Christina Hermoso

The Catholic faithful will observe All Saints Day on Tuesday, November 1, in honor of all the saints, known and unknown.

All Saints Day (Catholic Online)

Now that cemeteries and columbaries are open to the public unlike in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic, families and friends of the departed will be able to visit their loved ones who had passed on although many had planned on visiting earlier or much later to avoid the expected crowd. 

As in the past years, Church officials remind the faithful “to commemorate All Saints’ Day solemnly as it is meant to enrich the faith of all who observe it. As we honor the saints and remember our departed loved ones, we actually give glory to God,” Church leaders said.

According to an old tradition, prayers for the intercession of saints are as old as Christianity itself, while the veneration of saints goes back to the beginning of Christianity. Catechism 2683 said, “Their intercession is their most exalted service to God’s plan. We can and should ask for them to intercede for us and for the whole world.”

Originally known as the Feast of All Martyrs in memory of the martyrs of the early Church who died for their faith in Christ, All Saints’ Day has since evolved into a solemn observance during which the Church remembers all who have died in the faith. Pope Gregory (731-741) consecrated a chapel in the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome, Italy to all the saints and fixed the observance to Nov. 1. Pope Gregory IV (827-844) extended the celebration to the Universal Church in 837.